Munder
by BML Hillen-Keene
Summary: Because there isn't enough Munder fic out there. Pre-Film... mostly.
1. Chapter 1

"Get the fuck off my boat." Murphy said, his voice pitched low, the anger he was feeling obvious below the surface.

Jacobs' eyes were narrowed, he wasn't looking at Murphy, but rather at the young man standing a few feet behind him beside Epps. "It's not me that needs putting off this boat Murphy and you know it." he sneered, his eyes flicking deliberately down to the cast around Munder's wrist, a malicious curl twitching at the corners of his mouth.

Murphy's face twisted into a scowl and he stepped forward, blocking the view Jacobs had of Munder and Epps. He had known when he'd hired him that Jacobs wasn't exactly a team player, but he had needed someone along for the heavy lifting that needed doing with this salvage, Epps, for all her posturing wasn't strong enough to do the really heavy stuff, and Munder's skill was a little too valuable to jeopardise, especially with the way his right wrist fractured so easily.

He hadn't expected the man to be violent. It hadn't been too noticeable at first, there were a few incidents between him and Epps, but that always happened in the first week before Epps laid down the law. Munder had been the only exception, the young man had arrived on ship very much the worse for wear, and hadn't made more than a joking pass at Epps, and that had been two weeks into the trip when he'd started feeling more at ease with them, and when Epps shot him down, as she did with everyone who tried, Munder had just grinned and the two had easily fallen into a sibling relationship. Murphy had kept him on, as he really was the best spot welder in Alaska, and he wasn't a sexist asshole where Epps was concerned.

So when he hadn't laid off Epps when she'd told him 'No', Murphy had had words with him, and had considered the matter dealt with. He hadn't been aware Jacobs was targeting Munder as well, the man seemed to get off on intimidating people, and despite all his bravado and his big mouth, Munder was, sadly, the perfect victim. And he might have remained unaware had it not been for Munder stepping in when Jacobs got drunk and tried his chances once more with Epps.

It had resulted in yet another fractured wrist for Munder and a black eye for Jacobs.

"You were drunk, and you assaulted my crew. That's all the reason I need to throw you off my boat." Murphy growled. "Now get off."

"You gotta expect a bit of trouble when you got a woman and a Munder on your crew, 'specially that one." Jacobs sneered.

Murphy took a step forward, and Jacobs stepped back, not out of fear, but disgust. "S'all right Murphy, I'll get off your boat. Don't wanna work this shit pile anymore anyway, better work elsewhere." And he spun on his heel and left.

With a final, wordless growl, Murphy turned and stalked to the bridge.

_Written, because there just isn't enough gen Munder fic... or hell, any munder fic. I have a whole backstory for him in my head, but I just can't seem to get it down proporly. Hopefully the little short's I've written will explain enough for you all to get a sense of it._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._


	2. Chapter 2

"Murph." Munder tried again. "Murph, I can get off next port."

Murphy turned, frowning deeply at the young man standing behind him. "You ain't going anywhere Munder."

Munder ran his hand through his hair, tugging more hair loose from the messy pony tail at his neck as he did. "Fuck Murph, I always knew this was a temp job. You've kept me on a lot longer than anyone else, and I'm grateful for that, but you gotta see it's losing you business having me on board."

Murphy had to reign in the urge to reach out and fix the messy tangles at the front. The boy had barely an idea of how to look after himself, and Murphy knew that he'd be back on that pirate ship of a boat his brothers ran within the month; he'd seen it a few times over the past 6 years, since the 'Blackbeard' had started plying it's trade in Alaska; which was why he had been determined to have the boy on his tug permanent like.

"You're not leaving the boat Alex." He said again, hoping that by using his first name would impress upon Munder his seriousness. "You're my crew, just like Epps and Greer are, and if anyone we hire can't deal with that then they can go."

Munder heaved a small sigh. "But Murph, seriously, your having to turn down big hauls because people won't sign up because I'm on board. Fuck man…"

"Munder… Alex, what jobs I decide to take are my business, not yours. What crew I decide to take on is my decision. Now I can't stop you going if that's what you really want to do, but I don't want you leaving this boat if your next trip out is gonna be on the Black Beard."

"I'm not gonna tell them anything!" Munder protested, going on the defensive immediately.

Murphy sighed. "Fuck Kid, I know your not." Would their first meeting always shadow Munder's dealings with him. The kid had only been 16, and had only done what he did because of some threat his brothers had made to him. Murphy hadn't reacted in the best possible way, but that was before he'd known that the three older Munder brothers were controlling and threatening Alex into doing what they wanted. "I just don't want you on that boat. They've screwed up your life enough don't you think?"

Munder blinked. "You're worried about me?" he asked in disbelief.

Murphy rolled his eyes, but decided to go with honesty. "Yeah kid, yeah, I am."

_I may write out how they first met at some later date, we'll have to see._


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm looking for Munder, Alex Munder. I got word he might be on your tug."

Epps shared a quick look with Murphy, who shared her concern. They didn't normally get people asking for Munder, and usually it was someone from his brothers ship with either a threat or a bribe to try and get him back to the ship. The last time it had been a threat, and Greer had been on hand to deal with it; but Greer was off with his girlfriend this port.

"What are ya looking for him for?" Murphy asked.

Epps cast a surreptitious glance back towards the door to the inside of the tug, so far they had managed to deal with all but two of these instances without Munder finding out, and she hoped they could keep it that way.

When she had dragged him, drunk and injured, to the tug over two years ago she hadn't expected Murphy to know the kid, or for him to end up being some sort of genius underwater welder. She'd just let herself give into her nurturing side when she'd seen one of the men she now knew to be his brothers dump him in an alley. They'd gotten him drunk while he was on heavy duty painkillers and nearly killed him.

That, the fact he only made a single half-hearted pass at her when he was feeling better, and the look of absolute surprise on his face when Murphy had offered him a place on the boat for a job and possibly a place on the crew if he wanted it, had cemented him forever as 'Family' to her, the little brother she was glad she hadn't grown up with. She'd never seen Murphy take to anyone that quickly. She later learned he'd been keeping tabs on the kid from he was sixteen, waiting for the opportunity to offer him a way out of his brothers' twisted shadows.

Munder was family now, like Murphy was, and there was no way in hell he was ever leaving the Arctic Warrior unless he genuinely wanted to go.

"Look, I just need to know if he's here. If he's not I'll move on, whatever, but if you see him tell him I'm over in the Oyster Bar." The man said, shrugging and hefting his bag up onto his shoulder.

"You gotta name?" Murphy asked, frowning. "Can't be passing on any message without a name."

"Sure, if you see him tell him Dodge is looking for him."

Epps studied the man for a moment, searching, like she knew Murphy was, for any hint this man meant Munder harm.

"Hey Murph, I found that… What's going on?" Munder pushed his way on deck and blinked in surprise when he found his shipmates not working. Epps stopped herself from reaching out to push Munder back inside, feeling a little silly for even thinking about doing so. Munder peered over the side. "Dodge?" he said after a moment.

"Hey Alex." The man replied, with a genuine grin.

"Thought you were still in Spain?"

"Got bored. Besides, I still owe you that money."

Munder looked surprised. "You've got it? Still?"

Epps frowned across the Murphy, questioning. He shook his head.

"Yeah, I still got it. Had to borrow a bit to get here, but most of it's here. Thought you were supposed to come pick it up?"

Munder didn't answer for a long moment, and Epps was surprised to see the same realisation pass over the strangers face as Murphy's and her own, that Munder's brothers had somehow been directly responsible for the delay, and that Munder had not actually believed anyone would actually keep his money for him.

"You want that I should just leave it and shove off, or are you gonna come have a drink with me?" the man said suddenly, negating the need for Munder to answer.

Munder didn't even hesitate, which told Epps and Murphy everything they needed to know about this man. "Sure, drinks sound good. Give me an hour or so and I'll—"

"Go on." Murphy said. "Me and Epps'll take care of this."

"You sure Murph?" Munder asked.

"I'm sure, go. It'll do us some good not to have to listen to your caterwauling."

"Hey! My singing's not that bad!" Munder protested, but he was already heading for the gangway to the dock.

"Keep telling yourself that!" Epps called after him with a smile, watching his disappear over the side. When he and his friend were gone she looked over at Murphy and raised an eyebrow. Murphy nodded and she smiled again.

Looked like they'd be getting a new crewmember next trip out.

_Ok, wow... I am really bad at this snippit thing. But I just can't seem to get my head around writing an actual story based on this movie or it's characters. So I suppose it'll just have to do._


End file.
